Many individuals have a need to wear a harness that is secured to a portion of the body. Full torso harnesses are commonly used by individuals involved in activities that present risks of falling or the potential need to be lifted or otherwise extracted from a location. Thus, users may wear a harness that is part of a system that provides protection against falling or a means to lift a person. These harnesses may be used, for example, by military personnel, first responders, workers in professions that present such circumstances, or recreation enthusiasts.
There also are harnesses that traditionally are used for more specific activities, such as rappelling. These types of harnesses tend to be formed in a manner that seeks to place the user in a generally seated position for rappelling, while not securing the full torso. These harnesses also tend to include leg straps that come together with other strapping around the lower torso and that is secured together at the front of the pelvic region.
It is believed that the prior art does not provide a harness that is light weight, relatively simple yet secure in structure and which permits a fall arresting or lifting type of body harness to be quickly and conveniently converted to utilize structure appropriate for climbing or rappelling.